Boondock Puffins

Maybe you have Verona or Milan as a future February half term destination?

Are you picturing rolling hills, views across valleys, some winter sunshine?

We’re here to tell you that it’s probably not worth it.

It only needs a short article really to tell you why…

THE SMOG!

We drove the entire way across the north of Italy, and then back again 3 weeks later. Both ways, once you go through the Frejus tunnel and come out at Bardonecchia, the smog depends and while above you looks somehow still clear, everything around you is in a cloud of gloom. This lasts right up until you enter the mountains again just before Cortina.

Don’t let yourself be fooled into thinking that this is just because we were on the motorway. That would be too much to hope for. No, we thought this ourselves and so decided to break up our mammoth journey home by staying just outside Bergamo in Rota d’Imagna.

The AirBnB itself was lovely, spacious and clean with a nice balcony. It was clear from the pictures online that the view should have been spectucular. Unfortunately, the view for us had been absorbed by a fluffy grey quality – imagine living in a full, unemptied hoover bag and you wouldn’t be too far off.

It seems such a shame really, as clearly this region of Italy is truly beautiful when this smog lifts (which, according to news reports on the poor air quality, seems to be in around March-April time). But just so you are pre-warned, it is probably not worth the trip prior to this time of year, unless you are happy with a fuzzy, depressing, heavy smog lying over you at all times.

Have you experienced this too? Or maybe you’ve had the opposite! Let us know before 🙂